072714-MerrowAcenia
aspiringArchon AA began trolling gracefulThaumaturge GT at 17:17 -- 05:18 AA: MERROW ARRIVES AT THE DOOR TO ACENIA'S ROOM AND KNOCKS GENTLY. "ACENIA? ARE YOU AWAKE?" 05:19 GT: "Yes!" Some shuffling and a few thuds are heard before she comes to open the door. Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:20 AA: Looking around to make sure no one is here to overhear him, he switches to Private Mode. "I spoke to Darmok last night. He told me a lot that might interest you, if you'd like to hear about it." 05:21 GT: "I would!" She hastily opens the door. "Actually, I heard from the new girl that she received a kiss from him. Which... is bad news for Miloko! Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:21 GT: " Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:22 AA: Merrow furrows his brow. "That *is* concerning. I might need to talk to him about that later." 05:22 GT: "But the new girl all shrugging it off like it means nothing, so I don't know." Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:22 AA: "I hope not. I would hate to see Miloko hurt." 05:24 AA: "Do you mind if I come in? Or would you like to come to my room? I fear the things I have to tell you are probably best left private." 05:26 GT: "R-right! Sorry, I'm just a little..." She swings the door open slowly, revealing a floor scattered with books and loose papers... and a distracted looking Acenia who seems to have forgotten her hat. Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:27 AA: "Oh! You're not wearing your hat! I think this is the first time I've seen you without it!" 05:27 GT: She emits a small squeaks and rushes off, digging around in a pile for it. Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:28 AA: "Are you....okay?" 05:28 GT: "I've just... been really concered since more people have been... showing up." She finds her hat and pulls it snugly atop her head. Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:28 GT: ((concerned)) 05:30 AA: "Concerned about what?" 05:33 GT: "What if we're wrong? What if Scarlet is convincing the adults to round us up like this because it will be the worst detriment? We're already finding ourselves dividing up!" Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:33 AA: "Hmm. It's possible....but here's the thing. After talking with Darmok last night..." Merrow makes sure the door is closed. "...I now believe that Scarlet genuinely is your mother." 05:33 AA: He gives her time for this to sink in. 05:34 AA: "Your birth mother, at any rate. I don't deny that Etrors is the mother who raised you." 05:34 GT: "I mean, I understand! Especially after meeting Lily..." Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:35 GT: "It's still just weird. I feel like the enchantment will wear off soon enough and everything will just melt into the reality that's been hiding from us. I'm really scared we're not ready." Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:36 AA: Merrow sighs. "We're probably not. But I think it is reasonably likely your mother is genuinely looking out for your best interests." 05:37 AA: "The other thing he told me was about the nature of this Scarlet." Merrow pauses for a moment, trying to think whether to say this gently or to just get it out there. 05:37 GT: "I've been... preparing spells just in case. I don't want to be caught too off-guard." Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:37 AA: Merrow nods. 05:38 AA: "Any preparations you can do would be good." He's not sure whether or not he believes in the whole magic thing, but he's willing to accept there might be things he doesn't understand that might help her. 05:39 AA: "Acenia, did this Lily have much insight into the lineage you inherited from Scarlet? Or her own, for that matter? 05:39 AA: "Did she mention anything about a place called 'Arena?'" 05:39 GT: "She said we're..." She looks up, trying to jog her brain into recalling..."Half... Twink?" Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:40 AA: "Hmm. Darmok didn't use that word. But he did say that Scarlet was from another world." 05:40 AA: "Her and another woman named Libby, who you've probably heard him talk about before." 05:41 AA: "'Scarlet and Libby, Last Females of Arena.' and 'Acenia and Lily, Last Females of Arena.'" 05:41 GT: "Libby, the Oracle, her eyes gouged out. Libby, she sees." Acenia tries to recite what Darmok said to her. Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:41 GT: "Libby in the farthest ring." Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:41 GT: "She seems important." Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:42 AA: "Hmm. Come to think of it, that might explain that really unintuitive metaphor he used last night. 'Merrow, his eyes gouged out.' But he was saying I was right about my speculation, apparently." 05:42 AA: "Arena might be a world on 'The Other Side.' That seems to be how Darmok refers to the world of the game." 05:43 AA: "Actually....all of our parents seem to be from 'The Other Side.' If I understood Darmok correctly, we were sent to this world via meteor, and wound up in the hands of our world's versions of people who are already playing the Game that we are about to play." 05:55 GT: "...Oh." She says, as if hearing a death sentence. "Then the life we were given is not by coincidence. Perhaps not out of affections or attractions. But out of convenience and utility... If the game is taking place in another universe? And we know that ours will come to an end... What other reason is there for our creation and journey to this world?" Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:55 AA: Merrow looks stricken. "I....had not considered all of that." 05:55 GT: "What if they're broken and dying there and we're some sort of long-term replacement parts?" Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:55 AA: Merrow looks troubled. 05:56 AA: Then he sighs. "We can only deal with what's in front of us, Acenia. Whether or not we are being manipulated, whether or not our existence and our natures were preordained, we do not have to dance to their tune." 05:57 GT: "On Derse, they said the game grants us power. If their game started long before our creation, how will we stand a chance in terms of power?" Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 05:58 AA: Merrow considers it. "We will just have to be smarter than them, if we can't compete in terms of power." 05:59 AA: "If you're right, and we're 'replacement parts,' it means they did not play the game very well. That says to me that they will not outclass us to such a degree that they can simply steamroll over our own agency." 06:00 AA: "We will have to be clever, and capable. And we cannot allow them to manipulate us. We must make our decisions based on what we decide is best, not on whether or not they seem to want us to do them." 06:05 GT: "I wish this all made more sense." Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 06:06 AA: "Yeah. I'm thinking of talking to this Lily. Darmok says she also has 'Friends on the Other Side' like he does. She might know more." 06:07 GT: "I think we should gather everyone for a serious discussion. These are our lives!" Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 06:07 AA: "Agreed." 06:07 GT: "And at the sacrifice of everyone elses!" Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 06:08 AA: "Oh, one more thing to keep in mind, that I would rather not tell everyone yet..." Merrow sighs. "Among the things that Darmok said his 'Friends on the Other Side' have told him is that Thiago is a danger to 'the players.' I am not sure whether he means us or the players who came before us. But he does not trust or like him." 06:08 AA: "He didn't seem to be able to offer any evidence, or even specify in what way he's dangerous, so my inclination is to give him the benefit of a doubt." 06:08 AA: "But you might want to keep your eyes open." 06:18 GT: "right..." Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 06:29 AA: "I know you seemed to feel some sympathy for him, because he seems to have become a bit of a misfit in our little company. I won't ask you to avoid him or anything. But just be careful, okay?" 06:30 GT: "I will! I don't want to endanger you..." Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 06:31 AA: "More importantly, don't endanger yourself." 06:33 AA: "Okay. I should probably be the Prince now." He kisses her on the cheek. "Let me know if you need any help with....preparing your spells, was it?" 06:34 GT: "yes! Don't worry, it'll be fine, probably." She smiles at the kiss. Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 06:34 AA: "Then I will see you later." 06:35 GT: "Be safe!" Ѽ⋆:・ﾟ✧ 06:36 AA: "You too." 06:36 AA: Merrow leaves her room.